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A BUSY MORXINC 



SEWING FOR 
LITTLE GIRLS 



BY 
OLIVE HYDE FOSTER 

Author of 
"Cookery tor Little Girls" 




NEW YORK 

DUFFIELD & COMPANY 

1911 



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Copyright, 1909, bt 
F. M. LUPTON, Publisher 

Copyright, 1911, by 
THE BUTTERICK PUBLISHING CO. 

COPYBIGHT, 1911, BY 

DUFFIELD & COMPANY 



$ o,n$ 



©CI.A300749 



DEDICATED 

To two of the neatest little seamstresses that ever 
learned to sew. 



Preface 

It is an easy matter to interest a little girl in 
sewing if one approach the subject in the right 
way. 

The average mother pays scant attention to 
her child's play with dolls, not realizing that it is 
possible to turn the making of the doll's outfit 
into the most practical of lessons. 

While a garment for herself might at first only 
weary and dishearten the little seamstress, the 
miniature pieces have a peculiar appeal of their 
own that will cause her to execute the most per- 
fect kind of work with delight. 

The wise woman, therefore, will assist with sug- 
gestions about the suitability of the materials to 
be used, and aid in the laying on of the patterns, 
the cutting and the fitting, as well as instruct 
about the actual sewing. 

Indeed, with the doll's clothes it is possible to 
make each article teach some special lesson under 
the guise of the most fascinating play, while hav- 
ing mother for a friend and helper will be another 
incentive to neatness. 



PREFACE 



As the making of the small clothes shows how 
the larger ones are put together, the child that 
has made a complete outfit for a doll will have, 
when she awakens to the delight of sewing for 
herself, definite ideas about how she wants her own. 
And after all, few things give a woman more 
satisfaction than the ability to sew. 

0. H. F. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Preparing dolly's bed 1 

II. The sewing outfit 13 

III. Buttons and buttonholes . . . . 21 

IV. Dolly's drawers 27 

V. Some simple trimmings 33 

VI. Dolly's skirt 39 

VII. The fine white dress 47 

VIII. Different kinds of fastenings 53 

IX. Embroidery stitches 59 

X. The coat and hat 65 

XI. A DAINTY MENDING OUTFIT 73 

XII. A CHAT ON MENDING 77 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

A busy morning Frontispiece *' 

PAGE 

Basting and hemming 10 

Over-handing -^ 

A"polybag" 16 

a convenient sewing apron 20 

The way to sew on a button 22 

Working a buttonhole 23 

Pattern for pencil-case 24 

Finished pencil-case 25 

Pattern for drawers 28 

A French seam 2 9 

A single leg 01 

Putting on a ruffle ^5 

Hand-run tucks and hem 36 

Dolly's skirt 40 

Featherstitching 42 

Blanket stitch 

Hemstitching 45 



Pattern for embroidered dress 48 

49 
50 



Dolly in her new dress 4 9 



Backstitching 

Sewing on hooks 54> 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Sewing on eyes 55 

Fly fastenings 57 

Studying out a pattern (facing) . . . 60 - 

Different embroidery stitches 62 

Chart of dolly's coat and hat 67 

Dolly's new coat and hat 71 

a dainty mending outfit (facing) .... 74) / 

Darning 79 

Patch, wrong side 81 

Patch, right side 82 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

CHAPTER I 

Preparing Dolly's Bed 

O bed! O bed! delicious bed! 

That heaven upon earth to the weary headl 

— Hood. 

Do you really want to learn to sew? Well, al- 
though you are a twentieth century little girl, 
your mother must have some good old-fashioned 
ideas about things a child should be taught, and 
if you tell her you are ready to begin, I am sure 
she will help you. 

Of course the very first thing you will need is 
a needle and thread. Now, if some well-inten- 
tioned dear old grandma has not already given 
you a "ready-made" work-box, filled with heavy 
red and blue cotton, and scissors that never were 
intended to cut, here's a chance to start a nice 
little sensible work-box such as your mother may 
be glad to run to in a hurry. 

First, coax one of your devoted uncles to buy 
you a pair of small, sharp, round-pointed scissors. 
You will notice that I said to ask your uncle. 

1 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

That's because he is less likely to think of your 
hurting yourself and therefore will get a good 
pair. But do not use them to cut wire! Ask 
mother to please give you a whole paper of nee- 
dles for yourself (5's to 10's will be best assort- 
ment) so you can have any size you need, and 
then take care of them. 

THE WORK-BOX 

Now that you have two things, you will want 
to keep them together, so suppose you take a 
pretty candy box and use that for a work-box. 
Mother probably will not think it necessary to 
give you a number of spools of thread to start 
with, but she may not object to your winding off 
some of both the fine and coarse of her black and 
white, as well as a little colored silk also; and if 
you cannot find empty spools enough for the pur- 
pose, wind on to rolled-up pieces of writing- 
paper. If you will first fold this paper into strips 
about two inches wide, your rolls will be all the 
same size. 

A thimble, of course, is necessary, for all fine 
needlewomen use a thimble, but do not let it roll 
away and get stepped on. It spoils the shape. 
And just as soon as you begin to sew, you will feel 
the need of a needle book to hold your loose nee- 

% 



PREPARING DOLLY'S BED 

dies, so hunt through the scrap-bag until you find 
some pretty little pieces of flannel and some small 
scraps of silk or velvet, and out of these I will 
show you later how to make a handy little needle- 
book and a small pin-cushion. But in the mean- 
time use a piece of folded cloth. 

A bodkin, or tape-needle, is quite an important 
part of a well-ordered sewing outfit, too, as you 
will find after awhile, and then if you can per- 
suade some one to buy you a "run-in-and-hide" 
tape measure, and a pretty little strawberry em- 
ery, your box will be quite complete. Take good 
care of all your things. When you get through 
sewing, do not go off and leave them scattered 
about, but put them back in the box, replace the 
cover, and set them carefully away. You might 
want to use them soon again. 

THE SEWING CHAIR AND TABLE 

You probably have noticed that when mother 
gets ready to sew she gets out her work-table 
and her pet sewing chair, and makes herself as 
comfortable as possible. When you are ready to 
sew you, too, should get out your little table, if 
you have one, and the chair that best fits it, so 
you can have your things all together and keep 
the pieces off the floor. It is much better to work 

3 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

on a table than to try to keep thread, needles, 
scissors, thimble, pin-cushion, goods and patterns 
all in your lap, and besides, you would scarcely 
be able to move if you did. So, follow the ex- 
ample of your wise mother, and get everything 
ready before you begin. 

MAKING PATCHWORK 

For your first sewing lesson I am going to tell 
you how to run plain seams, and in order that you 
may have something worth while to show for your 
time and trouble, I will suggest that you make a 
quilt for Dolly's bed. First, take a piece of news- 
paper and cut it several inches larger all 
round than the exact size of the bed. Fold this 
in the middle lengthwise, then crosswise, making 
a block one-fourth the size. Cut out one of these 
sections, fold it twice in exactly the same way, 
and then cut out one of these small corners. 
But you have to allow for seams, on every side, 
so lay the small square on another piece of paper 
and cut it a quarter of an inch larger on each 
edge. Be sure to keep this pattern for future 
use, or else cut out all of the sixteen pieces at once, 
and put them where they will not get lost. 

What kind of goods are you going to use, by 
the way? If you have many ends of silk, they 

4 



PREPARING DOLLY'S BED 

would come in very handy for this purpose, but 
if you can't get enough, then see if you have 
plenty of woolen scraps such as flannel, broadcloth, 
serge, cashmere, etc. It is better to have them all 
about the same weight, although the more colors 
the better. But if you can get only cotton, re- 
member that that was what the nice old-fashioned 
quilts were made of, and see how many pretty 
pieces you can find, left from wash-dresses, aprons, 
shirt waists and such things. 

If you decide to cut out these sixteen pieces 
like your pattern all at once, then it would be a 
good idea to fit them together on a piece of paper 
the size of the quilt, so you can select and put the 
right shades together. 

RUNNING THE PATCHES 

When the squares are all arranged, choose a 
needle that is suitable for the material, because 
a fine needle might break on some stiff, heavy 
goods, while a big, coarse needle would be difficult 
to push through fine close cotton weaves. Select 
a thread, not too long, of a color as near as pos- 
sible like the goods, and put on your thimble. 
Lay the right sides of two squares together, and, 
holding the edges even (or pinning them to keep 

5 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

them straight, if you prefer), run along one side 
of the blocks with your thread and needle. To 
do this nicely take a very small stitch on the nee- 
dle, leave an equal space, and push in for the sec- 
ond stitch, which you must try to get the same 
length as the first. You ought to get four or five 
stitches on your needle at a time, and a little prac- 
tice (holding pieces with the left hand), will enable 
you to get them quite perfect. Be sure to have 
a knot in the end of your thread, and when you 
have sewed across the block and finished the seam, 
fasten your thread by taking three or four small 
stitches one on top of the other. 

Next take two other blocks and stitch them 
neatly together in the same way, fastening the 
end of the thread securely when you have gotten 
through. This done, lay the first set, smoothed 
out nice and straight, on top of the second, and 
sew across two blocks before you fasten your 
thread. Then, when you open out your work, you 
will find you have one-quarter of the patchwork 
done. 

This may be as much as you feel like doing in 
one day, and if so, pick up all your things, put 
them carefully away, and go off to play. But be 
sure not to lose any of the pieces. 

When you are ready to sew again, do not get 
6 



PREPARING DOLLY'S BED 

careless, but take the same care as at first; and 
when you have finished another set of four, put 
that away, too. When you have made them all 
— the four sets of four small blocks — put them 
together exactly as you did the little one, thus 
making the whole quilt. 

PRESSING 

I came near forgetting to tell you to take your 
little flatiron and press the seams open on each 
set of blocks as soon as finished, for if not pressed, 
your work will be "humpy," and not at all like 
what a neat seamstress would do. And when the 
sets of blocks are all sewed together, you must 
press these last seams, too, nice and flat. Then 
lay your patchwork on the piece of goods you are 
going to use for the lining or back, right sides 
together. Pin or baste to hold perfectly even, 
and cut it out the right size. Stitch around three 
sides, every inch or two setting your needle back 
a stitch to make the sewing firmer. When you 
have finished the three sides, turn your work right 
side out, smooth it into shape, and crease on both 
the front and back edge left open, as much of a 
seam as you have been taking, and pin these two 
edges exactly even. Sew very carefully together, 
taking the tiniest stitches you can, so they will 

7 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

not show. When all done, press the finished quilt 
on the wrong side and you will find you have a 
pretty coverlet, all made with your own fingers. 

SHEETS 

When you have finished your quilt, you will be 
apt to find that you need some sheets, too, for 
Dolly's bed, So, ask your mother for a clean 
piece of old muslin (you will find it much easier 
to sew than the new), and then before you cut it 
out make a pattern from newspaper. Cut this 
longer than the bed, and wider, too, folding the 
paper across the top, first one-quarter of an inch 
and then over again one inch, to make a wide 
hem. Allow only a quarter-inch hem for the bot- 
tom and sides, and then you will always be able to 
tell which end of the sheet goes to the head. Bet- 
ter lay this pattern on the bed next, to be sure it 
is plenty large enough to tuck in nicely, and after 
you are positive it is all right, cut the goods the 
exact size of the paper with the hems smoothed 
out straight. 

BASTING 

After creasing the hems all around, take some 
big, long stitches, called basting, to hold the hems 
in place. 

8 



PREPARING DOLLY'S BED 

For even basting, the stitches should be the 
same length ; but for the more common, uneven 
basting, take up a stitch as in "running," skip a 
space twice as long, take up another short stitch, 
skip a long space, and so on to the end. 

HEMMING 

Then prepare yourself with a fine needle and a 
fine thread. 

Starting at the left-hand end of the hem, 
holding it over your left forefinger, with the 
folded hem on the upper side so you can see 
plainly, take a "teenty-weenty" stitch through the 
sheet, and catch the very edge of the hem as you 
push the needle out. Pull the thread clear up to 
the knot, and putting your needle in the sheet 
again close to the first stitch, take another one 
of the same length and catch that in the folded 
hem before you pull it out. There — that's all 
there is to hemming! And if you do not quite 
see it in your mind's eye, the little picture will 
make it plain. The real beauty of hemming is in 
having the little stitches so fine and even that they 
scarcely show on the right side ; but you will learn 
that with practice. If your first attempt at it re- 
sults in work a bit clumsy-looking, do not be dis- 
couraged, for your second attempt will look bet- 

9 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

ter, and before long you will be able to hem al- 
most as well as mother. 




BASTING AND HEMMING 



The basting stitches are the long. 
The hemming stitches are the short. 

And if you get in a hurry for your sheets, as 
housekeepers often do, and do not feel like tak- 
ing the time to hem them all the way around, you 
10 



PREPARING DOLLY'S BED 

can run the sides and bottom, using the same 
stitch you put the blocks together with. This is 
much faster sewing, and if you take pains, will 
look very nice, too. 



11 



CHAPTER II 

The Sewing Outfit 

There is always work 
And tools to work withal, for those who will. 

— Lowell. 

As you have already tried running and hem- 
ming, I am going to suggest that you do a little 
more practicing on these two stitches by making 
what the children call a "polybag." This is a 
pretty silk bag for carrying your thread, needles, 
scissors and thimble when you go visiting and 
take your work. One presented to a child 
I know was made of a piece of fancy ribbon six 
inches wide and twenty-seven inches long, al- 
though any pretty piece of goods cut that shape 
would do just as well. First fold under each end 
one-eighth of an inch (basting if necessary to 
keep in place), and then lap over four inches, like 
a great wide hem, and baste that. Next, taking 
a thread the same color, hem each of these ends 
across, taking the nicest kind of little stitches, so 
the thread will scarcely show on the right side. 
Fasten securely when you come to the end, or it 

13 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

will pull apart when you begin to use it. Then 
run a line of stitches half an inch inside each row 
of hemming, which will leave a little narrow open- 
ing or casing, for holding the ribbon when you are 
ready to draw your bag together. 

OVER-HANDING 

When you have each end finished nicely this 
way, fold the strip together in the middle, and 
begin right at the fold to over-hand the two edges, 
by putting the needle through both pieces at once 
as they are held side by side, pulling it out, and 
putting in again in very much the same way as 
when hemming. Only, if you will look carefully 
at the illustration you will see that the goods must 
be held differently. Over-hand up each side until 
you come to the two hems, which should just ex- 
actly meet, then fasten very tightly, and sew over 
and over again to prevent coming apart. When 
both sides are done, and you turn your work right 
side out, you will see that you have made a pocket 
or bag about six inches square, that has a pretty 
three-inch doubled ruffle on each side. 

Now thread one yard of quarter-inch ribbon in 

your bodkin, run it through the opening you left 

for the purpose clear around the bag, and tie the 

ends in a little bow. Taking another yard of the 

14 



THE SEWING OUTFIT 

same kind, start that from the opening on the 
other side of the bag, and carry around in the 
same way; tie in a like bow. Does this sound 




OVER-HANDING 

strange? Well, it is not, for if you do exactly 
as I have directed, you will find that when you 
take a bow in each hand and pull, your bag will 
begin to close up! And if people ask you why 
this is called a "polybag," you can tell them prob- 
ably because it can be used for so many different 
things, as every one that has studied the meanings 
of words knows that "poly" stands for "many." 
Another pretty and very simple bag is made 
by gathering one edge of a strip of fancy silk 
twenty-seven inches long by nine inches wide and 

15 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

then over-handing it firmly to a circle of cardboard 
that measures four inches across, and that is cov- 
ered with silk. This forms the bottom. Sew the 
ends together and run double drawstrings of baby 
ribbon through a casing made at the other edge, 
to close the bag at the top. 

Such a bag could be made, though, of any kind 




'POLYBAG 



of ribbon or even pretty wash goods. Plain cot- 
ton duck, with your initial or monogram on one 
side and with a tape for a drawstring, would make 
16 



THE SEWING OUTFIT 

a nice and very practical bag, as it could be 
easily washed when soiled. 

PIN case 

With all this work, however, you must be feel- 
ing the need of a needlebook and a pin-cushion. 
A pretty little case for pins, is made by first cut- 
ting out two circles of light cardboard one and 
one-half inches in diameter, and then two circles 
of pretty silk or velvet two inches across. With 
a strong thread run around close to the edge of 
the good's, and after laying the cardboard in the 
center, draw up tight, yet smooth and even, and 
fasten securely. When both pieces of cardboard 
have been covered on one side in this way, put the 
two unfinished sides together, hold firmly in place 
with your left hand, and sew them with small fine 
stitches, over and over, as you over-handed the 
bag. Then hide your sewing by filling the edge 
all around with a row of pins. 

NEEDLEBOOK 

For a nice needlebook, cut a four-inch square 
from some heavy goods like the scraps from 
mother's broadcloth dress, or your winter coat, 
and nick all around the edge to make it look 
pretty. Cut two smaller squares of fancy flan- 
nel, nick them, pin in place so you are sure they 

17 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

are exactly in the middle, and tack right through 
the center from top to bottom, making a book 
when folded over that is four inches long by two 
inches wide. Then, if not too thick, punch a 
small hole clear through as it is folded, at the 
top, middle and bottom, and tie in short lengths 
of baby ribbon to make pretty bows. Slip in an 
eight-inch length of this ribbon clear across the 
middle of the broadcloth, on the inside, and tack 
in several places as well as at the edge, to make 
places to hold the paper of needles, bodkin, darn- 
ers, etc. The ends left flying, of course you know, 
are to tie the book shut when you are through. 

SEWING APRON 

Did you ever notice, by the way, that when 
mother sits down to sew she usually puts on a 
fresh, white apron? This is to keep the threads 
and lint from her dress, as well as to keep her 
sewing nice and clean. So, if you are going to 
be a thorough little seamstress, you better make 
yourself a sewing apron right away. Use any 
kind of thin white goods, or a short length left 
from one of your summer dresses, if you like 
colors. 

Taking a full width of goods that is thirty 
inches long, crease a one-inch hem along one end, 
18 



THE SEWING OUTFIT 

and hem it very nicely. Then fold over nine 
inches (the way you did the top of the little bag), 
to make a deep pocket across the bottom, and 
over-hand up each side with close, fine stitches 
so the sewing will hold. Next, crease a line up 
and down the apron, directly in the middle, and 
on this line fasten the pocket to the apron itself, 
so as to divide it in two parts, one for the sew- 
ing things and the other for the work. 

Taking a double thread, run two rows, half an 
inch apart, across the top of the apron, and draw 
it up to about twelve inches. Cut for a band a 
strip of goods thirteen inches long and two and 
one-half inches wide, and adjust the apron to it, 
pinning the gathers in place the way you like and 
allowing the ends of the band to extend beyond 
far enough to catch the strings. Then baste. 

COMBINATION BACKSTITCH 

Sew the band and apron evenly together, after 
every three running stitches setting your needle 
back a stitch, making what is called the combina- 
tion backstitch, to hold firmly. 

Next, fold under the other side of the belt (and 
the ends) one-eighth of an inch first, then again 
directly in the center of the belt, so that it will 
be double and the edge come over just far enough 

19 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

to hide the raw edge of the first seam. Pin or 
baste carefully in place, and hem the belt along 
the edge very closely, taking the stitches only 
through the gathers, so they will not show through 
on the right side. 




A CONVENIENT SEWING APRON 



For the strings, cut two lengths twenty-four 
inches long, and three inches wide, and make tiny 
one-eighth inch folds along each side, which you 
can either hem or run, and fold a one-inch hem 
across one end of each. When all nicely finished, 
plait the other end of each string up small enough 
to slip in the opening left at the ends of the belt, 
and hem it into place with particularly fine, close 
stitches that will be strong enough to hold. 

When all done, press with a hot iron, to make 
nice and smooth, and tack a dainty bow on one 
corner of the pocket. Then how proud you may 
feel of your work, when you come to wear it! 
20 



CHAPTER III 

Buttons and Buttonholes 

Seam, and gusset, and band, 

Band, and gusset, and seam, 
Till over the buttons I fall asleep, 

And sew them on in my dream! 

Hood. 

Before going any further, you better learn the 
proper way to sew on a button, for that is some- 
thing many grown up people do not know. If 
yours has four holes like the one I have pictured, 
note that I have marked them 1, 2, 3, 4». 

SEWING ON BUTTONS 

Take a double thread, with as fine a needle as 
you can use, make a small knot, put the button in 
place, and push the needle up through hole No. 
1. Lay a pin across the center of the button and 
hold it with your left thumb and forefinger while 
you push the needle down through hole No. % 
and draw the thread tight enough to hold the pin. 
Take several more similar stitches and then push 
the point of the needle up through hole No. 3, 

21 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

carry it over the pin also, down through hole No. 
4, and repeat several times. 

Then bring the needle up along the under side 
of the button, remove the pin, and wrap the thread 
around the now loose stitches holding the button, 
and you will make a nice little shank. Lastly, 
push the needle back through to the under side, 
fasten the thread and clip off. 



THE WAY TO SEW ON A BUTTON 

Next you must cut your buttonholes, but be 
sure to get them in the right place, and exactly 
the right size. 

Take a heavy thread to match, go with a long 

stitch around the slit twice, to strengthen the cut, 

as shown in the illustration, then start from the 

inside end. Set your needle exactly as shown in 

22 



BUTTONS AND BUTTONHOLES 

the drawing, with the thread from the eye coming 
around the point from the right, so it will form a 
knot when you draw it back, away from you, to 
make a firm edge. This takes practice, but any 
clever little girl can do it. 




In working a buttonhole be sure to start from 
the inside end. 

A DAINTY PENCIL-CASE 

A pretty little pencil-case I know you will find 
convenient for use at school, so you better make 
one immediately. 

Take a strip of plain blue chambrey (or simi- 
lar material), 20 inches long and 5 inches wide. 
Crease a quarter-inch fold around the four sides ? 
23 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 




then a line through the cen- 
ter lengthwise, and another 
exactly in the middle each 
side, marking four long, nar- 
row, even divisions. 

Turn a second fold one- 
half inch wide across one of 
the short ends, for a hem, 
and hem it down. Bring 
the two corners of the op- 
posite short end together 
(with the fold on the out- 
side) and over-hand at the 
center line, then turn inside 
out and press out flat and 
you will see you have made 
a pointed flap. 

Next bring the short 
hemmed end up to meet the 
turn of the pointed flap, and 
beginning at the edge of the 
hem, over-hand along each 
side to the botom of the 
case. 

Now you will see that you 
Have simply a bag, closed 
pattern for pen- with a flap; but if you will 
cil-case backstitch on the line of the 



up HERE 



BUTTONS AND BUTTONHOLES 




FINISHED PENCIL-CASE 

25 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

long creases you made at the start, from the 
bottom to the very edge of the hem, you will find 
you have four neat little pockets to hold your 
pencils. Attach a loop of cord or tiny tape 
to the end of the flap, and sew a button on the 
center line of the backstitching, in the exact spot 
to catch the loop. Then you can keep it securely 
closed. 



26 



CHAPTER IV 

Dolly's Drawers 

By the work one knows the workman. 

— La Fontaine. 

Making Dolly's drawers so they would allow her 
to sit, puzzled me greatly when I was a little girl. 
Her jointed kid body allowed the legs to bend so 
much that there was never room enough in the 
seat, and it took me some time to figure it out for 
myself, but I finally did it this way: 

I measured first the length I wanted the gar- 
ment from the waist-line in front to the knee, and 
then the inside of the leg from body to knee, and 
wrote the numbers down ; next from the waist in 
the back to the knee when Dolly was bent in a sit- 
ting posture. This proved considerably longer 
than the first. Then I measured from a line taken 
straight down the middle of the front to a similar 
straight line down the back, around the hips when 
she was bent, and I found she was much broader 
from her side line to the back line than from the 
side line to the front line. 

Folding a strip of paper that was deeper than 

27 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 



the length of the drawers, I placed the fold at her 
side line, and creased where the top and bot- 
tom should come; then opening out, I corrected 
this roughly indicated mark according to the 
measurements first set down, and — lo — there was 
a pattern cut to fit. And the following is the 
queer-shaped piece I had cut ! 




PATTERN FOR ONE LEG OF DRAWERS 

But it looked so different from most drawer- 
patterns I had seen, I was not sure I was right 
until I sewed the seams and tried the garment on. 

To make the drawers in this way, after they are 
cut from the pattern, first fold the hems at bot- 
28 



DOLLY'S DRAWERS 

torn, and where they are to be open down the mid- 
dle of the back, and baste. 




A FRENCH SEAM 

29 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

FRENCH SEAM 

Lay the two short, front edges together, with 
the hems on the inside, and sew with a running 
stitch very close to the edge. Trim the edges 
even, near to the sewing, then fold over the other 
way, exactly on the stitching and sew up once 
more, now using the combination backstitch. 
You will then have what is called a French seam, 
and it not only makes your sewing stronger, but 
it folds in and covers the raw edges. 

Fold and crease one leg at the dotted side line, 
and then with the hems inside, stitch the two 
rounded edges together, from the hem at the bot- 
tom to the notch, and fasten securely. Gather 
along the edge of the back piece separately as far 
as the back hem, draw it up to fit the front, and 
stitch the two pieces together back to the notch. 

After doing the other leg the same way, trim 
off close to the sewing, turn the garment inside 
out, crease on the stitching for another French 
seam, and stitch this time straight around from 
one bottom hem to the other. Now you will see 
you have left no raw edges. 

But you need a belt, so cut a strip one inch 
wide, and one inch longer than the waist measure, 
and fold under each end one-quarter of an inch 
to strengthen for the button and button-hole. 



DOLLY'S DRAWERS 



After gathering the top of the drawers from the 
notch near the side, to the back hem, and pinning 
the center of the belt to the center of the drawers 
(at the front), on the outside, draw up to fit the 
cft To 85/-T 




A SINGLE LEG 

belt, and sew all the way around. Stitch care- 
fully, then crease a tiny fold along the other side, 
turn the belt exactly in the middle and hem down 
on the wrong side. 

Then after hemming the hems, and adding the 
buttons and button-holes, Miss Dolly will have a 
garment that will allow her to sit down. 



CHAPTER V 

Some Simple Trimmigns 

Be plain in dress, and sober in your diet; 
In short, my deary, kiss me and be quiet. 

— Lady Montagu. 

In making nice underwear for Dolly (or your- 
self), you will want some simple, pretty trimming, 
so first I am going to show you how to make 
ruffling. 

Take a straight, narrow piece of paper one 
third longer than the edge where the ruffle is to 
go, fold over one side the width you want for a 
hem, and then cut the strip the width that you 
want the ruffle. With a pattern of this kind you 
will be pretty sure to make no mistake when you 
cut out the goods. Fold the hem and baste it to 
keep it straight, then either hem or run. 

GATHERING 

Next take a long thread, put through your nee- 
dle and knot the two ends together. A double 
thread always holds gathers much better than a 
single, and also is stronger. Take running 
stitches twice as long on the underside as they are 

3$ 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

on top, along the raw edge of your strip, and 
when you have come to the end, tie a knot in the 
thread. Then put in a second row exactly the 
same way, one-quarter of an inch from the first, 
and you will find that with the two gathering 
threads your "puckers" can easily be evenly distri- 
buted. They will not slip like they would on a 
single thread, either. 

When your ruffle is all ready to be applied, pin 
it in place on the garment, draw up the two strings 
so as to make it the exact length, and put in some 
more pins to hold it until you can get it basted. 
Cover the raw edge with finishing braid or a tiny 
folded bias band, and hem down. 

SHIRRING 

Shirring is easy, too, and is done like ruffling, 
only you put in as many rows of gathering threads 
as you want, and then draw them all up to fit, and 
adjust the fullness the way you like. For in- 
stance, in making a nice white dress for Dolly, 
the waist could be cut fuller than usual, and 
shirred around the neck, with three or four 
threads, while the full skirt could have five or six 
rows around the hips. Just try this some time 
and see how pretty it looks. Shirring, however, 
is not so suitable for underwear. 
34 



SOME SIMPLE TRIMMINGS 




PUTTING ON A RUFFLE 

35 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

TUCKS 

Tucks make a nice simple trimming, and, as of 
course you know, are little folds stitched at regu- 




HAND RUN TUCKS AND HEM 

lar intervals. They can be any width you like, 

but after you decide on the first one and mark and 

crease that, mark a card or a piece of folded paper 

36 



SOME SIMPLE TRIMMINGS 

as a measure for the rest, so you will get them 
perfectly even. 

Baste each tuck after you crease it, and when 
you get them all In the way you want, sew them 
with a fine running stitch and remove the bastings. 



37 



CHAPTER VI 

Dolly's Skirt 

Her feet beneath her petticoat 
Like little mice stole in and out, 
As if they feared the light. 

— Sir John Suckling. 

Now that you girls have had several different 
kinds of plain sewing, I am sure you will be ready 
to try some of the fancy stitches ; and as doll chil- 
dren, like real, are always needing new under- 
wear, suppose this time you try making a skirt. 
I want you to learn to cut your own patterns, too, 
which is another reason why I choose this simple 
garment. Then you can make it as dainty as you 
please with handwork. 

CUTTING THE SKIRT PATTERN 

First cut a strip of paper as wide as from the 
belt to the bottom of Dolly's dress, with a folded 
hem as deep as you desire. If the skirt is to be of 
flannel, cut the pattern strip just wide enough to 
set well, which ought to be about three times her 

39 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

waist measure. A thin, white skirt, however, will 
have to be fuller. 

When you have the right width and length, cut 
out the garment after laying the paper pattern 
straight on the goods, sew the seam from half way 
down the back to the bottom, half an inch in from 
the edge, and trim off close to the sewing. Then 
overcast the raw edges along this seam. 

OVERCASTING 

Overcasting is done like over-handing, except 
that the stitches are longer and taken farther 
apart. It is done along the raw edges, to keep 
the goods from fraying. 

Finish separately the two edges left to form 



DOLLY S SKIRT 

40 



DOLLY'S SKIRT 



the placket by hemming very neatly up to the top, 
and then press all the sewing with a warm iron. 

FEATHERSTITCHING 

If you want to featherstitch the bottom hem, 
fold it carefully, and run it with a fine basting 
thread to hold firmly in place. Take a needleful 
of some pretty embroidery silk, and start your 
featherstitching at the center back seam, holding 
the skirt right side out, with the hem to the left. 
Bringing your needle to the upper or outside, 
where the edge of the hem is marked by the bast- 
ing thread, throw the silk to the left, set your nee- 
dles as shown in the picture, and pull through. 
Draw the thread just tight enough to lie smoothly, 
then throw the silk to the right, set your needle 
in the same way again, only at the opposite angle,* 
for the point must always be toward the middle 
as marked by the basting; take the same length 
stitch as before, and pull through smoothly again. 
Now, this is very easy if you will pay close atten- 
tion to the directions and to the little picture ; and 
you will find it very easy, rapid, and fascinating 
work, too. Continue around the hem, throwing 
the thread each time in the opposite direction from 
the last, left-right-left-right, etc., and you will 
soon find that you are getting beautifully even 
stitches. 

41 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

After you have mastered this perfectly, try tak- 
ing two stitches on each side, and the result will 
be even prettier. 

Next run a double row of gathers around the 




FEATHERSTITCHING 

remaining raw edge, at the top of the skirt, draw 
up to fit Dolly's waist, and fasten securely. If 
your child happens to be rather large around her 
waist (for some children are quite chubby), you 
may not want so many gathers over her little 
stomach, so push all the fullness you can to the 
42 



DOLLY'S SKIRT 



back, and lay the rest in two flat little plaits each 
side of the front. 

Cut a strip of fine muslin long and wide enough 
for a band, and put on the same way as I told you 
for the pretty apron. Sew a tiny button from an 
old glove on one end, and make a neat buttonhole 
in the other. And to make particularly nice, 
overcast on a piece of narrow lace at the bottom 
of the hem. 

BLANKET STITCH 

For a plain flannel underskirt, however, turn a 
half inch fold at the bottom, and baste. Take a 
needleful of fine worsted or embroidery silk, and, 
starting from the left, hold the thread down with 
your thumb while you set the needle in one-quarter 
of an inch back from the edge, and bring it out 
from under the edge (and over the thread held 
down), so as to form a loop a little like the but- 
tonhole stitch. The next time set the needle 
not quite so far in, and continue to alternate with 
long and short stitches. 

You may want to make a fine white skirt, how- 
ever, so get a piece left over from your own or 
mother's summer dress, and that you can trim 
differently. 

After cutting the fine, thin goods, and folding 
43 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

the hem, before your fasten it pull a thread where 
the very top of the hem comes, which will prob- 
ably be in one to two inches from the edge. It 
may be a little hard to get out this first thread, 
but a needle will help, and, never minding how 
often it breaks, just start again. Then after 




you have drawn one thread all the way around, 
so as to get the line straight, take out enough 
more — eight, ten or twelve, to make the width 
space you want for hemstitching, and baste the 
folded hem along this line of drawnwork. 



HEMSTITCHING 



Now, however, you sew with fine white cotton, 
and for very sheer material take a fine needle and 
44 



DOLLY'S SKIRT 



at least No. 80 thread. After making a knot, 
put the needle through the hem, which for hem- 
stitching has to come on top, instead of under- 
neath as for the featherstitching ; then throwing 
the thread around to the right, take up on your 
needle as many of the strands of the goods in the 
open space as you pulled out. Do not catch the 
needle in the hem, though, but pull the thread 




In hemstitching use a fine thread. 

toward the hem and it will draw up like a knot. 
Then take another short stitch toward you, in the 
hem but not through to the underside, pull up 
close, throw thread again to the right; once more 
take up the requisite number of threads of the 
material, just as shown in the picture, pull toward 
the hem, and draw to tie once more. 

There! that's all there is to hemstitching, 
45 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

- 

though it takes practice, of course, to do it nicely. 
But the advantage of mastering hemstitching is 
that after you once learn to do it well, you can 
use it for all sorts of pretty things for yourself, 
such as dainty handkerchiefs, collars, etc. 

The reason I suggest making these little ar- 
ticles is that you may have easy things to start 
with, and yet something worth while when nicely 
finished. But always take pains. Get your 
stitches straight and even, and do each piece of 
work as well as if you knew that every one that 
saw it was going to judge you by your handiwork. 
Then the first thing you know, you will find your- 
self a good, capable little seamstress. 



46 



CHAPTER VII 

The Fine White Dress 

She loves me when she cuts an' sews 
My little cloak an' Sund'y clothes. 

— James Whitcomb Riley. 

Dolly probably needs a nice, white dress, so 
prepare to take her measurements for the pat- 
tern. You can most likely get a piece of fine ma- 
terial from mother's scrap-bag, though you may 
have to press it out smooth before going to work. 

CUTTING TO MEASURE 

First lay Dolly flat on the table, with her arms 
out straight, and measure from one elbow to the 
other, across her body, and write the figures down. 
Measure next from her neck under the ear to be- 
low her knees, with allowance for hem extra, and 
write that down. Measure across her knees as 
far each side as you wish the skirt to extend, — 
and you will probably find that this measurement 
is the same as the space between the elbows. 

Now take a piece of paper twice as long as the 
length from neck to hem, and the same width as 

m 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

between the elbows. Fold in half crossways, and 
then again lengthways, trim out the small open- 
ing for the neck at the corner coming in the center 




PATTERN FOR EMBROIDERED DRESS 

of the paper, and shape out, on the long side show- 
ing the four edges, to fit under the arms, as shown 
in the picture. (I think you usually cut paper- 
doll dresses this way, don't you?) Then round off 
48 



THE FINE WHITE DRESS 



the bottom as indicated, or your dress will sag 
at the sides. 

Next lay this pattern against Dolly, and see if 
you have cut it right. If not, take another piece 
of paper and try it again ; and keep on trying 
until you are satisfied that it is the way it ought 
to be. Thus you will prevent any mistake in cut- 
ting your goods. 

MAKING THE DRESS 

When the pattern is all ready, lay it very care- 
fully on the material, getting 
the crease down the front of 
the paper on the straight of 
the cloth. You will see by 
looking at the illustration 
that we are to have a dainty 
low - necked, short - sleeved 
dress, so when the goods is 
cut, first sew the under-arm 
seams. Put a fly-fastening 
down the back, or, if you find 
Dolly is narrower across the 
back than she is across the 
front, you will be able to turn 
narrow hems that will allow 
for tiny buttons and button- 
holes. Take a half-inch strip 

49 




DOLLY IN HER 
NEW DRESS 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

wmmmmmmmmm—mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmammmmmmm Jmmmmmmmmmmmimmmmmmmmimmmmmmmm^tmmtm^mmm 

of the material cut on the bias, lay it on the right 
side of the dress and stitch around the neck-open- 
ing, being very careful not to stretch either the 
neck or the band. Then when you have creased a 
tiny fold along the other side of the strip, turn 
exactly on the line of sewing and hem down on the 
wrong side just like an ordinary hem. 

BACKSTITCHING 

Sometimes when you are working on such a 




BACKSTITCHING 

thing as the seams of a waist you will find that 
your sewing ought to be particularly strong and 
firm, so then instead of the simple running stitch 
like you used in the patchwork, you must try 
backstitching. 

To backstitch means to take one stitch under- 
neath, and then set the needle back on top nearly 
to the previous stitch. It is slower sewing, of 
course, but much better for any place that is sub- 
50 



THE FINE WHITE DRESS 

ject to a strain. When finished, it looks like the 
running stitch on the top side, but has a line of 
close double stitches on the under side. 

Hem the bottom of the dress and the edges of 
the loose, open sleeves. Run two rows of gather- 
ing threads about one-third the way up from the 
bottom of the dress and draw it in slightly, to 
fit the body around the hips (or below, as you 
prefer), and cover with a belt, a sash, or embroid- 
ery "beading" run with a narrow ribbon. 



51 



CHAPTER Vni 

Different Kinds of Fastenings 

Cut and come again. 

— Crabbe. 

Hooks and eyes are put on in places where we 
do not want any fastenings to show, and — like 
everything else — there is a right way to sew them 
on. 

If you prefer hooks to buttons down the back of 
Dolly's dress, for instance, crease the hems after 
folding them wide enough to cover your hooks. 
Then mark the places, at regular intervals, where 
the hooks are to go, make a tiny hole in this hem 
with the point of your scissors and push the point 
of the hook through FROM THE UNDER- 
SIDE. 

Holding carefully in place with your thumb 
and forefinger, so it will not slip crooked, sew the 
hook, over and over, to the loose hem (for that is 
not to be stitched down until the hooks are all on), 
through the two little round eyes, and take a 
couple of extra stitches at the other end to hold 
the hook steady. Then when every one is tightly 
53 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 



sewed in place, lay the hem nice and smooth, and 
hem that down, and you will find that none of the 




SEWING ON HOOKS 



stitches fastening the hooks and eyes show at all 
on the right side. 

Measure and mark the places on the hem on 
54s 



DIFFERENT KINDS OF FASTENINGS 

the other side of the back where the eyes are to 
go, getting them exactly opposite the hooks. If 
these happen to be the "hoop" shape, bend them 




SEWING ON EYES 



out straight, and sew over and over with a double 

thread, through the little eyes, with small, close 

stitches. If your thread matches your goods, 

55 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

they will scarcely show, and leave only the metal 
bar exposed. The picture will show you exactly 
what I mean, however. 

If you want a nice finishing, — the kind that 
does not show, — down the back of Dolly's dress 
(or on your own blouse waist in case you are am- 
bitious enough to try that) suppose you put on 
a fly-fastening. 

FLY-FASTENING 

Cut two strips the length of the opening, and 
a little more than double the width necessary for 
the buttonholes. Lay one along one edge of the 
garment on the upper or outside, stitch with a 
running stitch, turn a tiny fold along the other 
edge of the strip, and then crease it exactly in 
the center, so that the "fly," pressed flat, covers 
the raw edge, on the under side. Hem neatly, 
catching the stitches so they do not show through 
and put the buttons on this strip. 

Fold a tiny hem on the other side of the gar- 
ment, fold the other strip exactly through the 
center, and after turning its two raw edges to- 
gether, inside, so they do not show, lay the strip 
with the other edge along the edge of the hem, 
and stitch the two edges AS ONE, to the dress. 
In this attached strip work the buttonholes. 

56 



DIFFERENT KINDS OF FASTENINGS 




FLY-FASTENING, 
EIGHT SIDE 



FLY-FASTENING, 
LEFT SIDE 



57 



CHAPTER IX 

Embroidery Stitches 

A lady richly clad as she, 
Beautiful exceedingly. 

— Coleridge. 

Did you say you wanted some trimming? Why, 
of course you do. If you can get lace narrow- 
enough, overhand it on to the neck and sleeves, 
and featherstitch a line around the neck, sleeves, 
and bottom hem to cover the hemming stitches. 
This would be very nice done in some color, — 
pink or blue. 

Hand embroidery, however, would make pretty 
trimming, and I am very sure you could mark out 
the design on the dress, with a lead-pencil, just 
as I have planned for you to copy from the pic- 
ture. 

DESIGNING THE PATTERN 

Draw first the little five-leaf forget-me-not in 
the center of the front, then the stem at each side, 
ending near the top of the shoulder, and add the 
other flowers and the leaves. You might prac- 

59 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

tice this by drawing several times on your paper 
pattern, so you will be sure it is right, and then 
if your goods is thin enough, you can lay it over 
the drawing on the paper (before sewing the gar- 
ment up), and trace right through. 

FRENCH WORK 

Take a needleful of white embroidery cotton, 
and fill in the petals of the center flower by tak- 
ing four or five long stitches from the center to 
the outer edge, then start back at the middle of 
the flower and take short stitches directly across 
the others, — the padding stitches, — setting your 
needle in on the right side line of the petal and 
bringing it out on the left side line, putting the 
point of the needle each time exactly on the pat- 
tern. 

STEM OR OUTLINE STITCH 

For the stem stitch, hold the goods firmly be- 
tween thumb and fingers of your left hand, start 
from the end of the stem where it would be broken 
from the plant, and holding this end toward you, 
take first a couple of short stitches one on top 
the other (so you will not need a knot), then a 
stitch twice as long, made by setting the needle 
in — away from you — and bringing the point out 
60 



m$M 




^ 




STUDYING OUT A PATTERN. 



EMBROIDERY STITCHES 

(toward you) close to the previous stitch. The 
needle must go in and come out every time on the 
stem line, with the thread left lying on the right 
side of the marking, and the needle-point on the 
left side of the line. A little practice will enable 
you to get a smooth, rope-like stem. 

The leaves can be done like the petals, only as 
they are long and slender, they require but two or 
three long stitches first for the padding. 

Perhaps you might like to scallop the edge of 
the neck and sleeves instead of trimming the other 
ways suggested, and if so simply indicate with a 
pencil mark the neck opening, but do not cut out 
-until after the embroidery is all done. 

SCALLOPED EDGES 

Take a thimble, and setting it exactly in the 
middle of the front of the dress, at the neck open- 
ing indicated, mark half way around the rim, then 
move one-eighth of an inch lower and mark half 
way around again, and you will have the two lines 
for the scallop. Lift your thimble, and set down 
for the second scallop where it will just touch the 
first, and mark in the same way. Then repeat 
until you have been entirely around the neck open- 
ing. 

With a needle as fine as your embroidery thread 

61 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 




I Stem outline: stitch. 

Z. FRENCH EMBROiDEfVf. 
3 EYELET WORK 

4 Scalloped edgs . 

DIFFERENT EMBROIDERY STITCHES 

62 



EMBROIDERY STITCHES 

will take, fill in the scallops with a few lengthwise 
stitches, for padding, so the edge will be firm and 
strong, and then take short buttonhole stitches, 
at right angle to the others, beginning at the 
right hand end. You will find this very quick 
work, and pretty, too. 

MAKING EYELETS 

For the little eyelets, pierce a hole as large as 
you want with a stiletto, — or a common crochet- 
needle, if you can find nothing else. Run a row 
of fine stitches around this opening, and then 
overhand it, holding the edge of the hole away 
from you all the time as you work around. Take 
small, close stitches, and draw the thread each 
time as tight as possible without puckering the 
goods. When you have been all the way around, 
fasten your thread on the underside, and clip off. 

FRENCH KNOTS 

When mothers, big and little, get to putting 
nice handwork on their children's clothes, they 
nearly always want to use pretty French knots. 
These look rather hard to make, but really they 
are as easy as any other fancy stitches ; and they 
fit in where nothing else does as well, along the 
edges of hems and between tucks and insertion. 

63 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

So, when you are ready to make Dolly some- 
thing new, take a double thread of heavy silk or 
embroidery cotton, knot the end, and start the 
needle through from the underside exactly at the 
point where you want the first French knot to 
come. Then, after pulling the thread straight 
towards you, place your thumb directly over the 
spot of the knot, wrap the thread once around 
your thumb to make a loop, then slip it off and 
after laying flat, stick your needle back right 
where the thread first came out and push the needle 
point through and out again where you want the 
next knot to come. But before drawing the 
needle out again, catch hold of the thread within 
an inch of the loop and pull the thread up close 
around the needle, to make a small knot. 
Then pull the needle until the thread is drawn 
up nice and smooth, and you will find yourself 
ready to make another. This carries the thread 
along on the underside, from one knot to an- 
other, so you do not have to fasten or cut off 
each time. There are several different ways of 
making French knots, but this seems to me to 
be the simplest. 



64 



CHAPTER X 

The Coat and Hat 

Look what a nice new coat is mine, 
Sure there was never a bird so fine. 

— Bryant. 

If your Dolly is like most children, she is apt 
to be in need of a new hat, and coat, and if you 
have gone along with your other sewing as well 
as I expect, you ought to be able to cut and make 
these yourself. 

A pattern, of course, is necessary, and as it is 
not always possible to get the latest of doll styles 
in all sizes, I will give you a pretty model and 
tell you how to cut it. It is easy, too, as you 
will see by looking carefully at the map. You 
know all about other kinds of maps, so of course 
you can copy this one. The first step is to get 
a pencil, paper and tape measure, so you can 
write down the exact measurements, just like a 
really truly tailor would. 

TAKING MEASUREMENTS 

Next, lay Dolly flat on the table. Stretch her 
65 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

arms out straight from "her body, and see what 
she measures from one wrist to the other, add- 
ing one inch at each hand to be turned back for 
the facing, and two inches more which will be 
needed for the box plait in the back of the coat 
and the hems down the front opening. These 
extra four inches are about right for a doll six- 
teen inches long, but more would be needed for 
a larger, and less for a smaller one. But add 
this extra length to the exact distance between 
her wrists, and write it down on your paper. 
Measure next from her neck (under her little 
ear) down as long as you want her coat to come 
when it is finished, add one inch for a hem at 
the bottom, and write that number down, too. 

Then, if you want a fashionably large hat, see 
how wide she is across the shoulders, and put that 
figure down as the diameter of the hat brim, and 
make the circle for the crown the same size. A 
third circle nearly as big, cut out, afterwards, 
like the picture, will form the collar. 

CUTTING THE PATTERN 

After getting these figures, take a good sized 
piece of newspaper, fold it first lengthwise and 
then crosswise. Then measure from the folded 
corner lengthwise as many inches as you have 

66 



THE COAT AND HAT 




CHART OF DOLLY S COAT AND HAT 



67 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

written down for the length of the coat, and mark 
there "Bottom." Measure from the same inside 
folded corner across the folded paper one-half as 
many inches as you wrote down for the distance 
between her hands. You know the paper is 
double now ! Mark a line for the bottom of the 
sleeves. Lift Dolly's arm and see what she meas- 
ures from wrist to body, add one inch, and mark 
in that far on your paper pattern from the bottom 
of the sleeve, to see how long to make the sleeve. 
You better measure very loosely around her el- 
bow, over her dress, particularly if she belongs 
to the jointed family, so her coat sleeve will be 
plenty large, and then before you even start to 
cut your pattern, draw a picture like the tiny 
"pattern model" in the map illustrated herewith, 
making the main points come where you have put 
your pencil marks. If you have ever cut paper 
doll dresses, I am sure you will understand what I 
mean, for this is done in precisely the same way. 

The neck opening, to be cut in from this same 
folded corner, may look very large at first, but 
the box plait made by bringing the dotted lines 
of the picture together, in the back, and the two 
hems folded after cutting an opening down the 
front, will take up the extra fullness. 

Lay your paper pattern against Dolly, after 
68 



THE COAT AND HAT 

creasing the hems, pinning the plait, and turn- 
ing back the hand facings, and see if you have 
the right proportions. If not, cut another pat- 
tern with the needed changes. This will take a 
little experimenting, to get exactly as it should 
be. But it will prevent mistakes later. Cut out, 
then, the other pieces like the pictures, but accord- 
to your own measurements. 

Next lay your patterns, just like the map, on 
your goods, being sure to get them the proper 
way of the material, up and down. If you have 
one whole length that mother or auntie has been 
able to spare you so much the better, but you 
can use scraps if you have to. Should it happen 
that you cannot find about the house a single 
thing suitable, take the ten cents that you would 
otherwise spend for candy, and buy as much as 
you need of pretty striped tennis flannel. A blue 
and white would make a dainty coat, and one that 
would wash, too. 

MAKING THE COAT 

When your pieces are all cut out, sew with a 
running stitch up the sleeve (under the arm), 
and down the body. Stitch along the dotted 
lines where you pinned the plait for the back, 
open out flat and press as a box-plait. Turn 

69 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

back the hems about one* inch from the opening 
cut in front, and baste them, as well as baste 
up an inch hem around the bottom, and the inch 
facing at the hand. Then slip on your coat and 
see how it fits. If too tight, let out your hems 
in front, and make the plait smaller in the back. 
If too big, take them in more instead. When all 
right, proceed to hem your fronts and the bottom 
neatly, hem the little collar with a very narrow 
hem, and sew that in place, but let this seam come 
on the right side of the coat under the collar when 
on, so that the raw edges will not show around the 
neck. Turn under the raw edge of the facing at 
the hands, and gather with a strong thread in to 
fit the hand, and fasten securely. Sew two rib- 
bons at the neck for the bow, put on four buttons, 
like the picture, and mark and cut buttonholes in 
the opposite hem. Overcast the inside seams of 
your coat, for neatness, and when all finished, heat 
your little iron and give the garment a good tailor 
pressing, so it will have a finished air. 

THE NEW HAT 

Cut the two circles for the hat brim, taking 
out a small round piece (about one and one- 
half inch circle) from the center, where the hat 
will rest on the hair. Make a little nick exactly 
in the center of this inside edge, front and back, 
70 



THE COAT AND HAT 



to mark for the crown, then sew the two brims 

together around the outside edge, turn and press. 

Cut the circle for the crown, run a double thread 

around the outside edge after marking the exact 

center line through the 

middle (to meet the nicks 

in the brim), and draw up 

small enough to just fit the 

head opening of the brim 

when you slip both brims 

and crown holes over your 

fingers. Place the marks 

on the brim to the line 

through the crown, so you 

can divide the gathers 

evenly on each side, and 

then holding the brim 

against the gathered 

crown, with your fingers 

through the opening in 

each, sew together, taking 

a backstitch now and then. 

Fasten securely, then pat down the crown, Tarn 
o'Shanter style, nice and flat, trim around with 
a pretty piece of ribbon, and see if you cannot 
find some nice chicken quills for a finishing touch. 

Then you will have a stylish little outfit; and 
you can do the work well, if you try. 
71 




DOLLY S NEW COAT 
AND HAT 



CHAPTER XI 

A Dainty Mending Outfit 

If there's a hole in a' your coats, 

I rede ye tent it; 
A chiel's amang ye takin' notes, 

And, faith, he'll prent it. 

— Burns. 

Are you supplied, by the way, with a mending 
outfit? Every seamstress needs a work-bag, well 
fitted with the things she is likely to use. 

Just the other day I saw a tiny sewing kit, 
which was the cutest thing imaginable! It was 
made of pink silk belting, held in shape by satin- 
covered cardboard sides. It was three inches long 
by two inches wide, just the dimensions of its little 
embroidery scissors, and less than one inch high, 
exactly the height, in fact, of its small aluminum 
thimble. But the finest thing about it was that 
it contained a complete mending outfit. There 
was a double fold of fine white flannel, an inch by 
an inch and a half, on one side of which were as- 
sorted needles, and on the other side a dozen small 
safety-pins. A tiny silk button-bag, an inch and 
7S 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

a half square, held a few pearl buttons of differ- 
ent sizes and a dozen assorted hooks and eyes, 
both black and white. 

Attached to one corner with a few strong 
stitches was a tiny emery. Loose in the bottom 
were six tiny cards, half an inch square, each 
wrapped with a few yards of thread (coarse and 
fine black and white cotton, black silk and black 
darning cotton). There was also a bodkin, a 
darning-needle, a roll of, perhaps, half a yard of 
narrow tape, and a ball of wax. Several large 
safety-pins completed the equipment. 

This little sewing kit was carried by one of my 
friends on all her travels, because it could be 
slipped into even the smallest hand-bag. It pro- 
vided always for the button suddenly missing 
from glove or underwear, the rip or rent in a gar- 
ment, the mysterious hole in a stocking. If you 
should care to make one for yourself, I will tell 
you how to do it, but it would make a lovely pres- 
ent for you to give to mother or sister or your 
dearest friend. 

A DAINTY MENDING OUTFIT 

First lay your small embroidery scissors on a 
piece of paper and mark off their length. Then 
cut an oblong from the paper half an inch longer 
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A DAINTY MENDING OUTFIT 

than the scissors and three-quarters of an inch 
wide, and round off the corners. This is your 
pattern, and by it you must cut four pieces of 
cardboard just the same size. Cover each piece 
smoothly on one side with plain silk, catching the 
edges down with crisscross stitches. Now place 
the uncovered sides of two pieces together and 
overcast them neatly. Do the same with the other 
two pieces and your two sides are finished. 

A piece of silk belting of the same shade is 
needed for the body of the case. It must, of 
course, be a trifle wider than the handle of your 
scissors, for you do not want them to fit too 
snugly. Take one of the silk-covered sides in 
your hands, and fit the belting around the edge as 
shown in the illustration. Overhand from one side 
around both ends, leaving an opening at the top, 
along the edge, but allow the belting to lap about 
an inch to cover the opening. Hem the raw ends. 
Then whip neatly to the other cardboard side in 
the same way. The end of belting is left loose to 
lay over the opening when you are through. 
Lastly, fasten a piece of baby ribbon twelve inches 
long to the loose end of the belting, so that you 
can tie the case up. 

Have I made all this clear? For example: if 
it takes nine inches to go around the side pieces 
75 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

and lap, and jour scissors are one inch and three- 
quarters wide through the handles, then the belt- 
ing, or other heavy ribbon, must be two inches 
wide and nine inches long. 



76 



CHAPTER XII 

A Chat on Mending 

The mother, wi' her needle an' her sheers, 
Gars auld claes look amaist as weel's the new. 

— Burns. 

Is your little girl-doll much of a "a torn-boy," 
so that she frequently tears her clothes? Per- 
haps not, but possibly her small mother some- 
times snags her dress on an old nail when she 
tries to climb a fence. A three-cornered rent of 
this kind is an awkward thing to mend, so in this 
last lesson I am going to tell you how to fix it. 
If fortunately you have escaped one so far, it 
will still be a good thing to cut such an opening 
in a scrap of goods and then try to see how 
neatly you can stitch it, for it will be a test of 
your nicest needle-work. 

MENDING 

Take a needleful of quite fine thread the right 
color, start at the extreme end of the opening, 
and holding the goods as flat and even as you 
can, take a short stitch through from one side, 
across the rent, and into the other side. Draw 
77 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

the thread close, without puckering, and come 
back the same way. 

Do not get those stitches too close together 
the first time you go around, as you might un- 
consciously "full" one side more than the other, 
but when you have reached the other end, turn 
and come back the same way, now putting your 
stitches in between the first set. Also take them 
a little deeper, so they will catch more of the 
material and make the sewing hold better. The 
second time around, if you will notice, you will 
see you have left a little hole at the sharp corner 
(in the middle), so put in a few extra stitches 
there, spread out fan shape to strengthen that 
particular place. 

After you have learned to do well all the dif- 
ferent things we have talked about, do you not 
think it will be lovely to surprise mother by tell- 
ing her you are going to begin to darn your own 
stockings? That would be such a help, and she 
would know then you had obtained real, practical 
good out of your sewing lessons. But let me tell 
you first that if you want to make this work very 
light, never put on a stocking with a hole in it. 
No matter if you have worn it but a day, mend it 
before wearing again, and then you will find that 
the holes are never large. 
78 



A CHAT ON MENDING 

If you will look closely at one of these small 
holes, you will probably be surprised to see that 
usually it looks like a cut across the weave; and 
perhaps the threads are "running" the other way. 




DARNING 

To fix this nicely, take a needleful of fine thread 
and first draw the edges of the hole together as 
near as you can without puckering or tearing out 
the thin, worn parts. Then taking a needleful 
of darning cotton the right color, run back and 
forth across the fine threads put in, and across 
any hole left where the edges would not meet. 
When the thread is put in closely one way of the 
goods, start weaving, basket-like, across the other 
way, taking up every other thread as shown in 
the illustration. When you have finished this, 
start over again and run back and forth each 
side beyond the first mending, so the sewing will 

79 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

be sure to go into the firm goods and make the 
darned place strong. 

Stockings mended in this way will be smooth 
and flat, not hurting the feet, and they will last 
much longer than if loosely "basket-stitched." 
And if you repair each tiny hole as soon as it 
comes, your work will not take much time, either. 

PATCHING 

Patching means putting on a piece to cover a 
hole or a worn place. This piece ought always to 
be of the same kind of goods, and laid on exactly 
the same way of the material. 

First cut a square a little larger than the part 
you want covered, crease an eighth of an inch fold 
all around, place exactly in the right spot on the 
wrong side of the goods, and pin carefully at 
each corner until you can get properly basted. 
Then hem with the tiniest kind of stitches, using 
a fine thread of the right color. 

PATCH, ON UNDERSIDE 

Next turn to the right side, cut away the rough 
or worn edges, leaving a hole either round or 
square, as you prefer. If round, you will have to 
make little, even snips all around the circle in 
order to allow you to turn under the edge, and 
80 



A CHAT ON MENDING 

then hem down with stitches that can scarcely be 
seen. 

Usually, however, a square hole shows less, so 
if you decide on that, cut from the center toward 
each corner of the patch but to within not less 




SQUARE PATCH WRONG 5<0t. 



than a quarter of an inch, snip off the worn part 
up nearly but not quite to these points, turn under 
the raw edges evenly in a perfect line with the 
first hemming of the patch, and hem down. 



PATCH, RIGHT SIDE 

When it is all nicely done, press with a hot iron, 
to make the work smooth and flat. 
81 



SEWING FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

Always remember that' a true lady would no 
more wear a stocking with holes than she would 
wear a dress all out of the elbows. No matter 
how poor she might be, she would always be both 




SQUARE OPENING RKiHl 



neat and clean; and her clothes (even if mended) 
would show attention. So, learn to take good 
care of all your things. Sew on a button as soon 
as it comes off, mend your gloves when the first 
rip appears, and make it a rule to keep your 
pretty neckwear, hair-ribbons, and such acces- 
sories fresh and attractive. You will find, as a 
reward, that they will look nice and last twice as 
long. Don't — don't grow up into a careless big 
82 



A CHAT ON MENDING 

girl who thinks it too much trouble to take "a 
stitch in time," and who makes anything do for 
ordinary occasions ; but keep yourself attractive 
by always being dainty and neat. 



THE END 



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